Ailing
by Ariyana
Summary: Some times even a Queen has trouble figuring out what a fussy baby needs or wants. [PreCanon] [Fluff] [WAFF] [Oneshot]


**Title:** Ailing  
**Author:** Ariyana  
**Fandom:** Marvel Cinematic Universe  
**Characters:** Frigga, Odin, bb!Loki, toddler!Thor and a wet nurse.  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count:** 1163  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters in this ficlet.  
**Notes:** This was actually inspired by a conversation with Kat.

Most often than not the wet nurse knew that Queen Frigga could handle the care of her infant son, as this was her second child, unlike the wet nurse herself. She was a new mother, still learning her around caring for children. Despite her inexperienced, she was flattered to be called upon by the Queen to aid her in caring for the young prince. Though it seemed to be a day that the babe was inconsolable. Nothing she or the Queen had done thus had much effect in quelling the infant's cries. The young woman worried that the prince might be ill when he refused to even feed. However her experience as a healer, could not surmise what could be wrong with him as he did not seem to be running a fever and well the sheer volume of his cries did not suggest an actual sickness present. Without much success, she tried once more in vain to feed him as it had been hours since he had last fed. The babe continued to cry, tiny hands pushing her offer of milk away.

She sighed heavily, arranging him into one arm, while fixing the front of her dress with the other hand. "I have tried feeding him, my lady. However he does not seem to be hungry." the nurse said worriedly, rocking the crying child in her arms.

"My thanks for your efforts. I shall take him now," Frigga replied, reaching out for her son. The nurse complied without hesitation, gently handing the small bundle over to his mother. For a few precious moments, the gesture seemed to soothe the infant boy. His cries dimming while finding placement in his mother's embrace. However the reprieve was short lived as the cries renewed, leaving both the Queen and the nurse baffled.

"Perhaps our small prince merely needs to cry?" The nurse offered, trying to quell the Queen's growing concern. "Though mayhaps Eir could look him over?" While the nurse's daughter was still an infant too, she had yet to find herself in a position where her own little one would fuss without visible cause. And what she had learned from her predecessor who had seen to the needs of Prince Thor, he had been less prone to bouts of fussiness. Admittedly she was hesitant to call Loki's current cries merely him fussing as this was the longest his crying had ever gone and this was certainly the first time his mother's embrace failed to appease him.

"It may come to that as I would rather know with certainty that he is not ill." She said, shifting her son upright and resting him against her shoulder, while she softly rubbed the boy's back. His crying slowed down to a soft sobbing giving both his mother and the nurse hope that he was finally tiring, but hope was dashed when he suddenly unleashed a wail. The sound of it, startling both women, though Frigga was quick to recover as she gently bounced her son. "There, there, my precious little one."

"There are times when my daughter, Sif, seems to only want to be held by her father. Perhaps Prince Loki wants his father?" The nurse suggested, all out of ideas at this point.

Frigga seemed to consider this as she continued trying to soothe the fussing infant in her arms.

"Perhaps he does, the All Father should be returning soon. So I shall put your theory to the test when he arrives." She replied, looking just desperate enough to try anything as seeing her son wailing so, worried her greatly.

"What theory is that, my wife?" A voice invaded the room, both women turned to see the All Father with young Prince Thor by his side. The small boy holding his father's hand, while partly chewing on his own forefinger. A look of concern on his little face.

"Is brother ill?" He asked looking from his father to his mother, with wide eyes.

"No, my love. I do not think it is illness that ails him so." Frigga answered her son gently, before glancing back up at her husband. "Will you hold him, beloved?"

"Yes, of course." Odin replied, releasing his grip on Thor's hand as he moved across the room to take the crying infant out of his wife's arms. "And what troubles my son to bring forth such a sound, hmm?" He asked gently, refusing to dumb down his speech for either of his boys.

As soon as Frigga situated the small wailing bundle into her husband's embrace, the crying calm to soft sobs once more. "Shh now, I have you." He added, bringing a hand up to lightly brush his fingers across the babe's face. Tiny hands caught his fingers, bringing his father's forefinger to his mouth to suckle on.

"It seems he did want his father after all." The nurse said, smiling at the sight of the All Father with his infant son in his arms. The greatest warrior of the realm and still he was quite capable of such gentleness.

"My love, I do believe I can feel what the problem has been." Odin spoke to Frigga, while his finger gently prodded his son's mouth. "His first tooth is already beginning to come in."

"So soon?" Frigga asked a bit surprised, moving in to look, while Odin continued to cradle their son in his arms. "Poor dear, this entire time he has been in pain. I did not even notice since he has not been running a fever." Obviously feeling terrible that she had not figured out sooner, that her son was hurting, she bent over and placed a soft kiss to the top of his head as an apology of sorts.

"Still he responds so quickly to your touch, my dear husband." Frigga added, pressing a small kiss to her husband's lips.

"Aye it seems he does, though dare I say more often he prefers your gentle attention." He replied warmly as Frigga lifted a curious Thor up to show him that his brother was doing better. Instantly Thor reached out a small hand to touch his baby brother's face, baby Loki only yawned in response, still clutching tightly to his father's finger.

"He's happy now." Thor said leaning over his mother's arm to place a soft kiss on his brother's forehead.

The sight moving to both his parents as well as the nurse, who watched the royal family with a sense of awe. Honored to be privileged enough to see the King and Queen with their sons like this. It made her excited and curious to see what sort of men the two boys would become as they grew up. Indeed she was certain either one would make a worthy successor to their father one day and that was a day she hoped she would be around to witness.


End file.
